Thanks to all who reviewed, favorite and alerted :) me thank you so much! Also, huge thanks to you guys who decided to join us in the Bakugan Battle club forum, you guys rock! I will only review reply to those who don't have accounts (anonymous reviewers) as I send all of you guys a reply ;) Anyway, hope you like this chapter :) Also I found out the right spelling :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing, sadly T_T

BTW, all of you guessed the villain wrong XD if you read the first few paragraphs you will know who he is ;)

Ninjitsu is a boy girl thing
Chapter two: In the camp

Alice waited with her mother outside the closed living room. A sad expression crossed her features whenever she looked at Hydranoid's ball. The once huge dragon, known for his strength and fearlessness was now nothing but a ball, so powerless. It hurt Hydranoid too much to be in a situation where he can't do anything to help Alice, it was strange for him; having the ability to only get himself off the floor, not to fight or to fly, just that.

Alice looked at her companion, who was sitting on the table next to her. Hydranoid seemed rather saddened and annoyed of his new state. She patted him with the tips of her fingers, it caused him to lift his head up and look at her. She smiled at him, one to say that everything was going to be alright. Deep down, Alice knew that everything wasn't alright and maybe will never will…

She turned to look at the living room's door with a glint of worry in her eyes. The door was an old wooden one with scratches apparent every few inches, but most importantly, it was now closed.

Her grandfather was meeting with the village's council as he was the head of the village. They were discussing the attack, Alice was sure, but she was unable to see or hear anything. She really wanted to know what they were thinking and finally her curiosity got the better of her. She walked to the door and placed her left ear on the door.

Her mother looked at her, worried her daughter would be discovered eavesdropping on the meeting. "Alice, what are you doing? Come back here," he mother said in a whisper so no one would her. Alice didn't obey as she concentrated more on hearing the voices inside than the voices around her.

Her mother kept silent, she wouldn't want to draw the attention of the elders inside the room. She walked to the kitchen's table and fixed herself a plate of food, her dinner plans were ruined by the attack. She sighed as she started eating alone, while staring at the empty few chairs before her. Why was this happening again? She didn't know.

Alice listened carefully, her ear pressing on the door but still, she wasn't able to hear clear words. Despite that, she was able to hear a few phrases.

"It's a great deal that befell upon us,"

"Yes, indeed, what do you suppose we do? We have got used to having the Bakugans around us,"

"How are we supposed to finish our chores without their help?"

"Not to mention our kids have got quite fond of them,"

She heard the voices of the people inside the room, not all of them were so familiar, that was until her grandfather spoke.

"I am afraid we can't do anything my fellows. We don't know the person responsible for this and I believe we better start getting used to life without the Bakugans,"

Alice let out an audible gasp as she backed away from the door. Her hand found its way to her mouth, covering it in the process as Alice was till trying to take in what her grandfather had said. She just couldn't believe it.

In a rush of emotions, Alice pushed the doors of the living room and they were widely opened revealing her figure to the elders sitting inside the room. They all eyes her closely, rage and somewhat disgust was written on their faces.

"Grandfather, how could you?" Alice said as tears rushed down her face. The men present in the room looked at her, fire raging in their eyes as it was raging in hers.

It was more hurt than hatred to Alice. It was more disappointment than anger. Her heart ached and she acted without thinking.

"What do you think you're doing, woman! You have no right of being here," one of the people in the room spoke.

"Alice! What are you doing?" Came her mom's voice from behind her. She turned around her to find her mother, who held her hand and proceeded to get Alice out of the room. "I am so sorry, I don't know what got into her. Alice let's leave," her mother continued, her tone filled with sympathy for her daughter. Alice though refused to go out before voicing her words.

"But we know who did this, grandfather! It's none other than…Zenoheld. He's the one who's been messing with our lives!"

The room grew silent. Mrs. Gehabich's hand loosed as she looked in the teary eyes of her daughter. She knew how she felt, she was feeling it too. She knew Alice was right.

"Why won't you help? Why? He's just one man and you are many…why?" she questioned as her voice fainted towards the end of the sentence. She fell to her knees, looking down. Tears were dropping on her fair skin.

The elderly men looked away from her. They were not disgusted by her weakness or by her tears. They were just unable to look at her in that condition. It broke their hearts and her voice was sure to haunt them in their dreams. They knew she was right, they know who had done that to their village. Who disturbed the well-life of its inhabitants but…Zenoheld was just a powerful man, they will never be able to defeat him…not in a million years and they just knew it.

Alice's grandfather got up from his seat and patted the head of his grandchild; she looked up at him only to be met with sympathetic eyes. He then gestured her mother to get her out of the room. Mrs. Gehabich wrapped her arms around her daughter and helped her out of the room. Alice, this time, didn't refuse and walked with a saddened expression on her face.

"I am fine mom…really," she said as they reached the stairs. It was not at all convincing but her mom decided to let her be. Alice went back to grab Hydranoid and then she left to her room. Hydra noticed the gloomy atmosphere surrounding the redhead. The reason to it was obvious enough so he didn't start a discussion about it and kept silent as she ascended upstairs.

…

Alice walked inside the room, placed Hydranoid on her bedside table and went near her bed. She bent down and was now on her knees as she lowered her head so she could see what was under her bed. She raised herself after a few moments and stretched her hands and grabbed the object and placed it on her bed.

The object was a box. Its colors were not apparent as the room was dim-lit, but apparently it was a dark one. She cautiously took the led off and placed it next to box. She looked at the contents of the box as some tears rushed to her eyes.

Alice took out a piece of clothing from the box. It was a ninja outfit, one that was her size, next to it was a set of Katanas and ninja stars. She hugged the fabric as tears started to roll down her cheeks…

"No father, please open your eyes, PLEASE!"

No reply

"No…it can't be…please answer me!"

Noreply

"You can't leave me, you just can't! We need you!"

"No, noooooooooooooooooooooooo!"

Alice sank to the ground with the cloth still in her hands. She was hugging it more tightly now and she was sobbing with all her heart.

"Alice…" Hydranoid let out. His voice was all too faint for her to her in between her sobs.

He felt she was in pain and it pained him even more to know that he can't do anything to help her or sheer her up right now. He knew that look on her face, he had seen it many times before…He had memorized the sound of her sobs all too well, she had done it before… He knew she was remembering her father and his unpleasant death. That was the only think ever made her cry like that; holding her ninja outfit she used to wear when training with him and sobbing with great sadness. She missed him a lot and from time to time, when she needed him to be by her side, she would show her sorrow just like that.

He never stopped her for he knew it was healthy for her to cry…but he wished he could do something, sadly, it wasn't something he was able to do.

Alice soon cried herself to sleep…

"W-What do you mean they'd d-die?" a feminine voice spoke as the owner stared at Alice in disbelieve.

Alice sadly nodded at her shocked friends.

The two girls looked at her, shocked and saddened by the sudden news. One of them had light blue hair and green-blue eyes that matched her hair. However her beauty didn't at all meant her being kind and sweet, she was actually the opposite, hot-headed and strong minded. Runo Misaki was simply not the kind of girl you would want to mess with, even so, she held much kindness and care only for her best of friends.

The other female friend was a silver haired young lady, around Runo's age of 18 years. She had sparkling gray-blue eyes and an ability of lifting anyone's spirit with just one smile. Julie Makimoto was not the smartest of girls but she was one to care much for her friends, even if sometimes she focused that care on clothes more than people.

The two sighed heavily, Alice followed. Each girl held her companion in her right hand with a sad expression. Alice held Hydranoid, Julie held her subterra bakugan named Gorem and Runo had her Haos tiger-like bakugan Tigrerra. The three of them stood silently inside the big white tent held for Runo. After all, they were now at the ninja training camp, the camp they would be nursing in for the next couple of months.

Each one of them was granted a big white tent with the medical equipment they needed in it. None of the three girls was thrilled about it, but they knew it was something they couldn't escape. Women are only to obey orders directed to them.

"Oh Tig…I just, I can't believe!" Runo said as a couple of tears glinted in her eyes.

"Gorem…GOREM!" Julie shrieked as tears busted out of her eyes like waterfalls.

"M'lady…" Tigrerra looked at her mistress, sincerely.

"Julie, please don't cry like this!" Gorem said as he glowed red.

Their sorrow was interrupted by Alice's voice.

"Don't worry you guys. They won't leave your side," Alice said, a determined look in her eyes. The two girls' eyes her closely as their tears were seized for the time being. "The men in the village are not willing to help, but believe me when I say. I will find a way…I won't let what my father did in the past go wasted like this," she continued as she whispered the last part. Runo and Julie looked at her with sympathetic eyes and stopped crying to stop hurting their friend anymore.

"Alice…but what could you do?" Julie couldn't help but ask the question.

"The shard he had stolen is still with him. Zenoheld will never waste such a valuable source of power. I am sure," Alice said and Runo nodded.

"Yes, we will be able to get it back!" Runo said throwing her fist in the air.

"OMG! Are you hearing yourselves? He is the second in command in the Japanese ninja forces; you will never get to him!" Julie said, in a loud voice. Runo and Alice looked down and so did Julie. It was impossible for them to do so. They sighed.

"Hey, Runo, good morning," said a brown haired guy as he walked inside the tent of the girls, without a permission for entrance if Alice may add. She eyed the boy closely and was about to say something, but Runo beat her to it.

"DANIEL! CAN'T YOU SEE I'M WITH MY FRIENDS! ASK BEFORE ENTERING!" Runo snapped at Dan, who, unconsciously, took a step back and hid his head behind his hands. He smiled sheepishly afterward.

"Sorry, Runo. I just…it's an emergency," he said while scratching the back of his head with his hand.

"I told you not to go in, Dan, but you never listened," Another male voice spoke, causing the three girls to look in the direction of the entrance. At the entrance stood a guy with jet black hair, which reached a bit past his shoulders. He was wearing a black ninja outfit with a green belt. His honey brown eyes searched the room and stopped upon Alice, "The new nurse?" He asked and Runo nodded.

"Hi, I am Alice Gehabich. Nice to meet you," Alice said as she bowed politely. Shun looked at her for a second then closed his eyes and proceeded to leave the tent.

"When you are done, Dan, please follow me," he said with crossed arms as his figure left the place.

"Is he always like this?" Alice asked no one in particular.

"Don't worry, you will get used to his attitude. We rarely see him anyway," Runo said as she looked back at Dan, "What's the emergency?"

"Umm, well…hehe…I scratched my hand and I was hoping you would take a look at it," he said and showed her his left arm that had a small scratch on it. Runo sweat-dropped as a vein popped on her forehead afterwards. She couldn't believe a scratch was the emergency.

Runo forcefully grabbed Dan's hand and sat him on a chair next to her medical equipment table, and the brunette could only whine.

"Runo, oww, that hurts!" Dan complained as he rubbed his arm, right where Runo had grabbed him, tightly. Runo didn't comment. She got a bottle out and filled a piece of cotton with the contents of the bottle. She placed it on his arm, right on the scratch which made the brunette jump out of pain, "Runo! That hurts!" he complained again.

Runo sighed. "I can't believe you, Dan. Such a wimp," Runo said the last sentence, harshly.

"Ouch, Runo," Dan said and pouted, then stayed silent while Runo did her job.

Dan kept staring at Runo the whole time as she treated his 'injury'. A blush appeared on his face, faint as it was, it didn't go unnoticed by Alice or Julie, but by the blue haired girl.

"There Dan, all set. Don't come again with a child's injury," Runo said. Dan turned away his face from hers and scratched the back of his head.

"Umm…thanks Runo," He said and made his way out of the tent without saying a word.

"Who were they?" Alice asked. Runo was too busy getting everything back in place so it was up to Julie to explain.

"The brown haired cutie is Dan Kuso-sensei and the cool black haired guy is Shun Kazami-sensei," Julie said. Alice was kinda shocked.

"Sensei? But, they don't look older than us," She said. Julie was about to say something but Runo answered first.

"They were chosen by the chief to train the competitors of the ninja tournament," Runo said, "You know, some guys come and kick each other's butts. Lame. I could beat them all in a second!" she said the second sentence in a rather annoyed voice.

"I know you could," Alice said, giggling lightly. Julie and Runo soon joined.

Soon the redhead's giggled died...Runo and Julie looked at her worriedly.

"This is pointless, what we do I mean, we should be out there, looking for the core!" She said with her head down and her fringe covering her face.

Runo came closer to her friend and put a hand on her shoulder. Alice looked up.
"We won't give up, Alice. But, we do need some more time to think of something. We will save them I promise," she said with a smile that lit up her face. Alice smiled as well and looked at the three bakugans sitting on the table beside her.

"Don't worry guys. Nothing will happen to you," she said, hopefully. She then grabbed Hydranoid and started walking towards the entrance of Runo's tent. "I better return to my tent, see you later girls," she said and left.

"Do you think she might do something…stupid to save our dear bakugans?" Julie asked the blue-haired girl.

"I don't know Julie, but I don't think she will," Runo said, assuring her friend.

Dan rushed to where he had spotted his best friend walking. "Hey, dude! Wait up!" he yelled and Shun finally stopped, allowing Dan to catch up to him.

"What's the rush for?" Dan asked as he put a hand on Shun's shoulder.

"Some people aren't slow, Dan," He answered, coolly. Dan was somewhat offended.

"Well, and some people like to walk slow and enjoy the view," he said, folding his arms. Shun sighed.

"Or keep thinking about a certain blue haired nurse," he said with a smirk. Dan blushed turned his head the other way. "I don't get you Dan. If you like her, go and tell her and stop annoying her with your random visits,"

Dan put his head down as a sad expression crossed his face. "It's better this way, Shun. Don't you see how she really hates me? Loving her this way is easier, better…better than getting rejected," He said and Shun saw a side of Dan's personality he never saw before. A broken one…and to think it's all because of a girl.

Shun was, as the rest of the guys across the country, looking to girls as weak figures who didn't have the ability of defending themselves. But unlike many, he wasn't the least bit interested in girls. To him, girls were all alike, so obedient and sensitive. None amused him.

"Someday, she will have it and forbid you to enter her tent. I don't know why it's taking her so long, I would have kicked you out already," he said, harshly and left. Dan snapped out of his sad-state at the harsh comment from his friend.

"Dude! Don't say that!" He said as he followed Shun to the training area.

…

Alice walked, with Hydranoid on her shoulder, but wasn't walking in the direction of her tent. She was taking a look around the camp, secretly hoping she was to find any valuable information. Of course Hydranoid tried hundreds of times to convince her it was to no avail, but Alice wasn't going to give up without trying.

She was deep in thought. She knew finding where Zenoheld had hid the core, but she had to try, she just had to.

Without any warning she pumped into someone on her way. She was about to fall after losing her balance, but an arm caught her before that happened. Hydranoid on the other hand, fell on the ground and skidded to a stop. He then rolled back to where Alice was and jumped in her robe's pocket.

Alice released her hand from her savor's one and thanked him for saving her with a sweet smile. The guy looked at her with a sly grin on his face. He had messy blonde hair and blue eyes and was wearing a grey ninja outfit and had a sword on his belt. That sly smile wasn't all too comforting to Alice.

Next to the guy was two of his friends. They looked annoyed that Alice had interrupted the conversation they were having. They turned to their third friend and attempted to get his focus back on their subject.

"So, as I was saying, everyone in the whole camp is talking about Zenoheld's new sword! The shard on it is most beautiful!" One of them said in a dreamy tone.

"I wish I had one like it," the other one said.

Alice listened carefully to the conversation. The shard…it had to be the stolen core!

The blonde guy though lost every single interest in the subject and was only focusing on Alice.

"Umm…excuse me, but do you where he stays?" Alice asked, trying not to look too eager to know but failing.

That sly grin only grew wider as the guy pinned Alice to the wall in a swift move. Before Alice knew it, she was trapped.

"You're new here right?" he asked, but it looked more of a statement. Alice didn't answer; suddenly feeling scared of this guy. His two other friends grinned too adding more fear to Alice's heart.

"I will personally give you a tour with all you need to know, but it has to come with a price," a shiver ran down Alice's spine as she heard the word "price". She gulped.

The guy grinned once more and started caressing her face with his finger. Her body tensed as she felt his touch. She was well capable of defending herself, but her body refused to obey her mind as it was completely paralyzed with fear.

"What's going on here?" a loud, serious voice said. The three guys slowly turned around. Once they saw who the owner of the voice was, they froze and backed away from Alice slowly.

"N-Nothing, Kazami-sensei!" they said bowing to their master. Shun shot them a glare, their heads were down but they felt his gaze fixed on them. They gulped, apologized and scattered away from the scene.

Alice looked at Shun, he was really a feared person in this place. Shun started walking in her direction and looked at her in the eye.

"You really have to be careful while walking around here, god knows what would have happened to you if I hadn't come," he said and turned his back to leave.

"Thank you," Alice said as she was truly grateful for saving her. Shun stopped.

"You're welcome," he said and continued walking away.

Alice leaned on the wall she was pinned to as she tried to calm her speeding heart. She got Hydranoid out of her pocket and smiled after calming herself down.

"Hydranoid, I think we still stand a chance, as I thought he didn't destroy the core, we might be able to get it back," she said. Hydranoid looked at her and sighed.

"Alice…this might be too dangerous, you better forget-" Hydranoid was hushed by Alice's words.

"NO! I will never let you die…you are my friend Hydranoid, I will do whatever I can to save you," Alice said in a determined tone. I just have to find away to get to Zenoheld.

Sorry for taking forever to update you guys. Tell me how what did ya think about the chappie ^^ I will try to update soon :)

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